Help making a custom panel

[James95 0]

Hi all,I have been modifying panels now for a few months as i was just getting to know the tools in FS Panel Studio.Is there anyway where i can find a BITMAP off the internet and turn the pictures of the gauges into actual gauges that move and work with aircraft in FS?What is involved in this process?Many ThanksJames Roberts

[badderjet 181]

Is there anyway where i can find a BITMAP off the internet and turn the pictures of the gauges into actual gauges that move and work with aircraft in FS?What is involved in this process?

James -Yes, there is probably a way.Involved is:- edit the bitmap that you have in a way you make up the single moving elements of the gauge (scales, needles, lights...)- learn XML or C(++)- get the FS SDK- code the gauge.Seriously, what you seem to be looking for is maybe something like EasyGauge, a tool that has been around many years ago. That would have allowed you to create simple gauges by more or less only inserting appropriate images and the tool would compile a gauge for you, even if you had little programming skills. Unfortunately this tool is quite outdated and most likely don't work anymore.Other than that, I believe the usual process is briefly outlined above.Good luck,Etienne

[n4gix 4,947]

Unfortunately this tool is quite outdated and most likely don't work anymore.

It hasn't been available for sale for several years now. I still use mine for quick "prototyping" and/or laying out mouse rectangles, etc. but......it will only continue to work as long as the ancient (4th generation of my retired development machines) continues to run. You see, the "activation" was done via a hardware signature, and since Marcel & his brother seem to have dropped off the face of the earth... <sigh>What's interesting is that I've been able to access it across my LAN, but of course I can't compile the raw code since the auto-generated .bat file is looking for the MinGW compiler on the wrong computer......but, that doesn't really matter because all I want is the C source code anyway!By now though I've got such a huge collection of the normal analog gauges that I hardly use EG these days. :(

[James95 0]

Thanks guys this information is much appreciated. Its a shame EG isn't available anymore as it might of worked on my computer. Anyways i shall get learningMany ThanksJames

[badderjet 181]

Thanks Bill for the additional info since I've never used EG.

Its a shame EG isn't available anymore as it might of worked on my computer.

Yeah it might've worked on the comp but would probably not work with any current version of the sim. Think it's been around in the FS2K, maybe even FS98 days, can't remember. Long time anyways.Good luck,Etienne

[n4gix 4,947]

Thanks Bill for the additional info since I've never used EG.Yeah it might've worked on the comp but would probably not work with any current version of the sim. Think it's been around in the FS2K, maybe even FS98 days, can't remember. Long time anyways.Good luck,Etienne

Gauges compiled with EG will work just fine with FSX. The single biggest drawback to EG though is that although the silly thing will generate all the headers needed for a multi-gauge cluster, it will only allow one to have a single "sub-gauge!..." There was some progress made by Marcel & brother towards coding the "Next Generation," which would have included GDI/GDI+ and true multi-gauge cluster support, it never even made it into a beta version before they disappeared forever... :(

[badderjet 181]

Gauges compiled with EG will work just fine with FSX. The single biggest drawback to EG though is that although the silly thing will generate all the headers needed for a multi-gauge cluster, it will only allow one to have a single "sub-gauge!..." There was some progress made by Marcel & brother towards coding the "Next Generation," which would have included GDI/GDI+ and true multi-gauge cluster support, it never even made it into a beta version before they disappeared forever... :(

Roger that. Didn't quite know about that multi gauge issue. :( Since I never had or used EG at all. Too bad they did not continue their project though. I am sure so many would have liked something like that still today. :(Etienne

[n4gix 4,947]

Roger that. Didn't quite know about that multi gauge issue. :( Since I never had or used EG at all. Too bad they did not continue their project though. I am sure so many would have liked something like that still today. :(Etienne

Well, to be perfectly candid, they (Marcel and his brother) pretty much shot themselves in the foot, and were the direct cause of their own financial failure.They simply priced themselves out of the market, by demanding too much for their product! Had they priced it around $40-50 dollars, they'd have most likely sold far more than the less than one-hundred they did sell at ~$300... :( Bear in mind that at the time XML "gauge script" didn't even exist, so the only way to create gauges was to use their EasyGauge program, or use the freeware compilers (MinGW, Borland, etc.) or MS's compiler(s) and the SDK, so there was essentially NO competitition at all!Many other EG users (and prospective users) tried to tell them this, but they ignored our marketing advice completely... :( B)

[Guest skytecuk]

Hi All, I'm using FS Panel Studio- but is there anything anyone can recommend besides? Anything to steer clear of? Not too happy with the results in FSPS so far :( RgdsJames

[n4gix 4,947]

Hi All, I'm using FS Panel Studio- but is there anything anyone can recommend besides? Anything to steer clear of? Not too happy with the results in FSPS so far :( RgdsJames

If you're trying to use it to create XML scripted "gauges," don't bother. It's far easier to simply use Notepad.exe, honestly! :(